Microsoft Corporation has acquired a patent license from SISVEL
S.p.A. and its U.S. subsidiary Audio MPEG, Inc. to the MP3 and MPEG2
audio compression patents owned by France Telecom, TDF, IRT, and
Philips. Under this agreement, Microsoft is licensed to sell products
using the patented MP3 and MPEG2 audio compression technology.
As per SISVEL and Audio MPEG's standard licensing program, the
license granted to Microsoft covers PC-software and hardware products
including Microsoft's new Zune music player, the Xbox 360, and
Microsoft's MP3 software on Windows-based PC's.
"Microsoft is pleased to have joined the SISVEL licensing program"
said Amir Majidemehr, corporate vice president of the Consumer Media
Technology Group at Microsoft. "Microsoft has always been committed to
protecting the intellectual property of our partners and the industry,
and we feel this agreement helps to further that goal."
"The decision by Microsoft to take a license from Sisvel and Audio
MPEG again illustrates the success and importance of MP3 in the field
of audio compression and confirms the industry's appreciation of the
research and development behind MPEG Audio technology covered by the
patents we are licensing" said General Richard Neal (Ret), President
of Audio MPEG.
By taking a license, Microsoft has joined over 800 other companies
that are licensed by Sisvel and Audio MPEG on these patents for MP3
players and other products using MPEG Audio compression.
